Erin Smith
Santa Cruz, CA - California, United States
Erin Smith was diagnosed with celiac disease in the early 1980s, so she’s been eating gluten-free almost her entire life. Erin has a unique perspective of growing up in the gluten-free community and blogs about living — and enjoying — a gluten-free lifestyle.
Erin Smith has been writing her gluten-free lifestyle blog Gluten-Free Fun since 2007. In 2011, she launched Gluten-Free Globetrotter, a website that encourages those with celiac disease to travel the world and not be scared about eating gluten-free domestically and abroad. Erin is also the lead organizer of the NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group, a social community that has grown to over 1850 members in the 8 years she has been organizing the group.
http://glutenfreefun.blogspot.com
http://glutenfreeglobetrotter.comSee my complete profile

Join the NYC Celiac Meetup Group for a GF menu planning workshop hosted by Marisa Smith, founder of Sweet Roots NYC, that will give you the tools to kick packaged, processed foods to the curb and start eating fresh, whole foods with ease. Learn how embracing home cooking and a real food diet can make eating less treacherous and more joyful.

Marisa will share Sweet Roots NYC strategies for planning, shopping and prepping so that you can get healthy, home cooked meals on the table in 30 minutes or less. She'll cover the tactical - from planning turnkey menus to storing food for shelf-life - as well as the emotional.

The workshop will be 45 minutes, followed by a Q & A. Sweet Roots NYC will provide healthy GF snacks!

About the presenter: Marisa Smith is the founder of Sweet Roots NYC, a farm-to-table food delivery and menu planning service that helps busy professionals get out of the take-out and processed food rut, so that they can be healthier, more productive and, ultimately, happier. On a weekly basis, Sweet Roots NYC delivers all of the ingredients clients need, already washed, cut and measured, so that it's a cinch to get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Marisa received her degree in food studies with a concentration in cultures of home cooking at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU. She honed her culinary chops in the kitchen at Eat, as an assistant to food writer Molly O'Neill and on her own as an avid home cook. She is an advocate of home cooking as a means of fostering physical, emotional and social well-being.

Last week, I was thrilled to be interviewed by the extremely talented Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com. Elizabeth recently launched Cook Bliss, "the food lover's podcast with a gluten-free and food allergy twist." In her new podcasts, Elizabeth covers all things food and shares stories about what it like to navigate a special-diet lifestyle. In the interview, we talk about me growing up gluten-free, my Gluten-Free globetrotting travel, and the NYC Celiac Meetup group.

I met Elizabeth a few months ago when she was meeting with her publisher in New York City. I was beyond flattered that she reached out to me for this meeting. As we sat and sipped coffee together, I felt like I was talking to an old friend. If you aren't reading Elizabeth's blog or reading her weekly column on Serious Eats, you should be. Not only she is a talented gluten-free recipe maker, but she is one of the most down-to-earth people in the gluten-free industry today. Elizabeth has also written two cookbooks: Easy Gluten-Free Baking and How to Cook Gluten-Free: Over 150 Recipes That Really Work.

The gluten-free market is booming, and while that means more options are on shelves, it also makes it harder to tell whether a product is truly gluten-free. Persons with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity know that a gluten-free diet is the only way to treat their conditions, but many find reading the nutrition labels of packaged products to be confusing. Why? While there are many conscientious gluten-free manufacturers taking the strictest precautions to ensure safe products, consumers still need more education about how to decipher nutrition labels. In a 60-minute talk using consumer-friendly language, Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, will provide an explanation of 20 ppm, discuss the role of food safety in gluten-free manufacturing practices, and clear up popular myths that bombard the gluten-free market.

Ten lucky participants will win a Gluten-Free Prize pack on behalf of Frito-Lay, containing a chip and dip bowl set, a bag of Lay’s® Classic potato chips and Tostitos!® Scoops!® tortilla chips and a copy of Nicole Hunn’s cookbook, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring. Valued at $35.

Note: The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA)provides information on gluten-free events as a service to the community. Please note that NFCA cannot assure the event participant or restaurant patron of the gluten-free practices or knowledge of the restaurants cited if they have not completed NFCA’s GREAT Kitchens program, which provides accredited gluten-free training to restaurants and other foodservice providers. Please call the venue directly to learn more about their preparation processes.

Friends, as I write this it is 95°F at 9pm here in New York City and I am literally melting. I had a fight with the woman at Best Buy who could not get anyone to help me with the air conditioners and my three fans aren't cutting it. To top it off, my asthma is the worst it has been in a year since the mold epidemic and I had to go for an emergency nebulizer treatment today. Needless to say I am having a little bit of a sweaty pity party over here. Not really my style since I think too many gluten-free and celiac bloggers are bitching a little much lately, but I digress.

In order to cheer myself up, I decided I wanted ice cream. Since I am too hot to walk to the store and I don't keep ice cream in my apartment simply because I usually eat it all in one sitting, I put on my thinking cap.
Then I remembered what I had in the cupboard.... NUTELLA.

A little skim milk, a lot of ice, and a BOATLOAD of Nutella later and my sweaty pity party just got a little bit better. Now, I want to introduce you to my:

Happy Birthday! That's right, S'MAC is six years old! And an eventful six years it has been :-). In celebration of our 6th birthday, on Monday July 16th S'MAC will be offering the All-American nosh for $1.00 (Gluten-Free and Vegan for $2.00). So come get your mac fix for a Washington.

Did you know that many of Frito-Lay's products are gluten-free? Neither did I until the NFCA asked me to try a new recipe using Frito-Lay products. I was really excited about this because I've been in a food rut lately, always eating the same things. I was "assigned" to make Baked Stuffed Tomatoes using Tostitos as the crumb filling. What??? Make a dish using corn chips? I'm in!!

1. Preheat oven to 350. Slice top of tomatoes off and scoop out pulp and seeds. Salt the insides of tomatoes and rest upside down on a wire rack over a sheet pan to extract juices for about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together Tostitos crumbs, basil, cheese, kidney beans, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stuff tomatoes with the filling, and bake until tomatoes are cooked through and tops are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

3. If you have some filling leftover, it makes a great mix-in for spinach salad!

I have to say, I was really impressed with how this recipe turned out. I don't love tomatoes but the filling balanced out the flavor well. I ate one stuffed tomato for dinner and I was full. (Might have been all of the Tostitos I ate while waiting that filled me up, come to think of it!) This was really simple to make and I would definitely make this again in the future.

I made a few changes to the recipe to spice things up a bit. Here were my swaps:

This Wednesday, Harvester Brewing in Portland, OR is celebrating what may be the World's First Gluten-Free IPA. Join them for their release party! If I was in Portland this week, I would totally be there!

Harvester Open House, Belated Grand Opening, GFIPA Release PartyWhen Harvester Brewing opened, we were weren't in a position to have a huge grand opening party. Now we'd like to do a little something by inviting everybody down to the brewery for an open house to celebrate the release of what may be the World’s First Gluten-Free IPA.

About the Open House/Release Party/Belated Grand OpeningOn the 11th we'll be opening up our brewery to celebrate the release of our GFIPA #1. This is also a rare opportunity to experience the IPA on draft, as we'll be pouring from kegs at the brewery. We'll be sharing free tastes of our whole lineup or you can choose to enjoy an 8 oz. glass for $1. We will also have bottles, cases and t-shirts on sale to go. Our very own chef/delivery-driver/bottle-labeler, Ralph Capolupo will be making some great GF appetizers to snack on while you hang out.

About the IPAWe're excited to release the first in our line of IPAs under the Experiment Ale label. This GFIPA #1 uses Horizon, Willamette, Cascade and Meridian hops for a piney, citrusy, truly northwest IPA bitterness, flavor and aroma. The body to support these hops comes from our pale roasted chestnuts, oats, and organic tapioca maltodextrin. We plan to release a few different IPAs throughout the year featuring different hops to keep things interesting. This first IPA should start hitting store shelves the week of the 16th.

Two weeks ago while I was preparing for a gluten-free weekend in Vermont, Dr. Schar USA opened a brand new, gluten-free facility in Swedesboro, New Jersey. This is very exciting news for a company that has been importing their gluten-free products to the United States for years. My hope is that this new state-side facility will not only help to distribute the amazing Schar products more widely across the country, but bring their prices down slightly. I basically lived off Schar products while I was in Italy in 2009 and have been a huge fan ever since then. Schar has a wide range of baked goods, crackers, cookies, and even baking mixes. Read on for more information about Schar and their new facility.

Europe’s #1 Market Leader in Gluten-Free Expands in North America With Promise Of Offering Tasty, Delicious and Worry-Free Dining Experiences To Celiac and Gluten-Free Communities

LYNDHURST, N.J., July 5, 2012 –

Dr. Schar USA, a subsidiary of Europe’s market leader in gluten-free food, announced today the official opening of the company’s first gluten-free manufacturing facility in the United States, which expand its reach to the growing celiac and gluten-free consumers. With a commitment to gluten-free foods that are tasty, delicious and nutritious, the new Schar facility delivers the promise of the company’s mission to enable celiac and gluten-free communities to enjoy foods without the worry.

Located in Swedesboro, New Jersey, the 60,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility will produce Schar’s popular and newest baked goods. Most notably, Schar is excited to also announce the introduction of gluten-free plain and cinnamon bagels to the U.S. marketplace in response to consumer demand. Additionally, the site will produce the following baked goods:

- Classic
and Multigrain Par Baked Ciabatta rolls and baguettes

- Hearty
White Frozen Bread

- Hearty
Grain Frozen Bread

- Upcoming
baked goods currently in development

“The launch of our first facility in the United States is an exciting milestone for the Scharbrand,” says Donna L. George, President and COO of Dr. Schar USA, Inc. “The facilitywill help accelerate the growth and availability of innovative gluten-free foods in grocery,natural, and specialty stores as well as restaurants and other food outlets across thecountry. Dr. Schar is committed to raising awareness and improving the quality of life ofthose in the U.S. who have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Our vision is for theSchar brand to be the U.S. market leader in gluten-free foods and innovation and NewJersey is a perfect location to support our national distribution and growth.”

“We are proud to proclaim that Dr. Schar, the market leader in Europe based on aplatform of quality, safety, knowledge, and research, is now also made in the USA.”

As a gluten-free facility, Schar will strictly adhere to the same rigorous productionstandards followed by all company facilities across the globe. From the selection of rawmaterials to the manufacturing of gluten-free baked goods, the facility will comply withthe 20 ppm or less maximum gluten content standard established by the CodexAlimentarius Commission—a joint program of the World Health Organization and Foodand Agriculture Organization.

The new production site is projected to create more than 50 new jobs and help fuel thestate’s local economy in addition to supplying the demands of the exploding gluten-freemarketplace which is expected to top $2.6 billion by the end of 2012.

“The new Schar facility is a tremendous service to consumers in our country that are inneed of gluten-free and baked foods. The company now has breads, rolls and bagelsthat are gluten-free and delicious,” said Caren Franzini, Chief Executive Officer of theNew Jersey Economic Development Authority. Ms. Franzini added, “The Schar facility isalso a great economic benefit to the state of New Jersey. We are pleased that Scharmade the right decision to choose New Jersey as the home of their first facility in NorthAmerica. We look forward to the company’s continued growth in our state.”

At the event, Schar honored actress Jennifer Esposito’s non-profit organization,Jennifer’s Way Foundation for Celiac. The non-profit’s mission is to provide education onceliac disease and to serve as a resource for those living with the disease and choosingto live a healthy gluten-free life. With a philosophy that every month is Celiac AwarenessMonth, Schar selected Jennifer’s Way Foundation for Celiac to help the organizationcontinue to work on raising awareness of celiac disease and provide information for thecommunity. The company presented the non-profit with a monetary donation of $2,500.Ulrich Ladurner, owner and president of Dr Schär Group, who launched the companyover thirty years ago and built a trusted household name among those with celiacdisease, closed the ceremony.

“The U.S. is our new home and we are proud to launch the facility in New Jersey. With acomprehensive portfolio of products – over 300 – in Europe, the U.S. facility enablesSchar to expand its distribution in the country, while strengthening the Schar brand thatso many consumers have learned to trust and love,” said Mr. Ladurner.

Dr. Schar’s parent company, Dr. Schär AG/SPA based in Burgstall, Italy, invested over$15 million into its new facility. The company has been developing and producing glutenfreeproducts for over 30 years and is the leading gluten-free manufacturer in Europeknown for quality, safety, innovation and education with the mission of improving thelives of those with celiac disease and related intolerances. The company’scomprehensive portfolio offers a range of products, including breads, rolls, pasta,cookies, crackers and frozen meals. Schar USA was incorporated in 2007 and hasintroduced over 33 products to the U.S. market.

ABOUT DR. SCHAR USADr. Schar USA (www.schar.com) is a subsidiary of Dr. Schär (www.drschar.com), themarket leader in Europe that offers the widest array of gluten-free products. A trustedhousehold name, Dr. Schar is backed by over 30 years in the marketplace and a worldclassteam of food technologists, dietitians, and scientists. The company provides theCeliac and gluten sensitive communities a flavorful selection of quality, gluten-free andtrusted products so that they may lead a carefree, pleasurable life. With a commitment todelivering worry-free dining experiences for the Celiac and gluten sensitive communities,the company will open its first ever manufacturing facility dedicated to producing glutenfreebreads in New Jersey.

You see that in the basket? Yep, it's the all new Apple Cinnamon Chex. This makes not one but SIX gluten-free gluten-free cereals now produced by General Mills. How awesome is that?

I have to say, I am not really a sugary cereal for breakfast kind of girl. I grew up eating plain puffed rice simply because there was no other gluten-free breakfast cereal on the market in the late 1980s that I could safely eat. Give me sugar in the morning and I am hungry by 9am. But give me some sweet cereal later in the afternoon and I am a very happy girl. I have a sweet tooth and these new Apple Cinnamon Chex are just the ticket! They are a good balance of cinnamon, apples, and sweetness. I was noshing on them all of last week during the slow afternoons at work.

The new Apple Cinnamon Chex are hitting the shelves nationwide this summer. In honor of this newly launched cereal I am doing a HUGE giveaway. With help from some friends close to Chex, I am giving away one box of the new Apple Cinnamon Chex to 5 lucky winners... AND I am giving away a grand prize breakfast basket including a box of the new Chex, a cereal bowl, spoon, and basket like the one in the picture to one lucky reader.

Want to win? Here are three ways to enter:
1. Leave a comment below with your name, state, and email address
2. Head over to my Gluten-Free Fun Facebook page, like it if you don't already, and leave a comment on my wall.
3. Visit my other blog, Gluten-Free Globetrotter, and give that page a like too!

Did all three? You are entered three times! It's as easy as that.

All entries must be received by July 6th. I will choose six winners using Random.org and announce the winners the week of July 9th.